Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
arpeggio

arpeggio

4 8.2
A way to play a chord by sounding its notes one after another
  • noun
  • /ɑrˈpɛdʒioʊ/
  • Specialized
: arpegio
  • To warm up, he practiced an arpeggio exercise that helped improve his finger dexterity.
  • scale and arpeggio
  • note arpeggio
  • three-note arpeggio

I just played arpeggios based off those chord shapes.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • In her guitar solo, she included a beautiful arpeggio that captivated the audience.

  • The musician skillfully played an arpeggio on the piano, flowing through the notes smoothly.

  • A little arpeggio, nothing fancy.

    Land of the Lost (2009)

  • Oh, that's a wonderful arpeggio.

    Elsa & Fred (2014)

  • I just played arpeggios based off those chord shapes.

    Rick Beato

  • The three-note ascending arpeggio (1-3-5-3-1) is also effective and uncomplicated.

    Academic text (1993)

  • When used as warm-up exercises, these etudes certainly should be supplemented with scale and arpeggio studies, quality chorales, and rhythmic studies.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The typical vocal warm-up may consist of some variation of a five-tone scale or a broken triad/arpeggio, long tones, tongue twisters, and tuning.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Scarlett saw that Daniel from the store was playing a flourishing arpeggio, and Maureen entered carrying a tower of a cake liberally trimmed with huge, vividly pink icing roses.

    Fiction book (1991)

Surface Forms

arpeggio singular
arpeggios plural

Etymology

Arpeggio comes from the Italian word arpa meaning 'harp'. Imagine a harp player running their fingers across the strings so the notes sound one after another, and that's why an arpeggio is a chord whose notes are played in quick order.